Bernie Miklasz sees this as a “get rid of Matheny’s coaches and bring in Mo’s coaches”. I don’t think I would buy that unless Matheny really chose the guys who were let go. Didn’t the front office pick the previous guys, too?

You might be right about that Brian. I really don’t know who chose the previous staff. I always assumed it was a collaborative effort between the FO and manager but you never know. Regardless, when a team shakes up the coaching staff no matter what the sport is, it serves as a warning sign to the head coach that he is next unless performance improves.

Cubs make more coaching changes. Along with pitching coach Chris Bosio, fired earlier, they also are bringing in new hitting and asst. hitting coaches and third base coach. Out are John Mallee, Eric Hinske (hired as Angels hitting coach) and Gary Jones. Coming in are Chili Davis, Andy Haines and Brian Butterfield.

As I mentioned in a different thread a few days ago, it appears to me the Cardinal brass is really counting on staff changes to make up the ground with the Cubs instead of on the field changes. (Yes I know we got Ozuna). Is this realistic? Can Oquendo, Maddux, and McGee account for X number of wins and is that able to be quantified?

Considering our records in extra inning and 1 run games over the last 3 years, I think having those 3 could mean the difference of as many as 5 additional wins. Just cutting down the mistakes will make a huge difference. Then, if Maddux will be helping make pitching decisions, that should also be a big help over the whole season.

I’d love to know that answer, forsch. Lilliquist was a very quiet guy and I always wondered if he would speak up to MM. (Same with most of the staff, to be honest.) I now wonder if Maddux will take a stronger voice, given his experience, which I suspect is more than the rest of the staff put together (excepting Oquendo).

I see you are among the skeptics. Oquendo could have chosen to say nothing and refuse to comment when asked, refocusing the discussion on his current job and away from the managing subject. If I wanted the managerial job, that is precisely what I would do. I would not lie about it.

With all the possibilities of managers to hire, why would the Cards try to convince someone to take the job who says he does not want it – a guy they already passed over once before? If Matheny leaves, they are not going to go begging Oquendo to change his mind and take it. And who would be comfortable hiring a guy who flip-flops based on how the wind is blowing?

My suggestion is to not overthink this. I take it at face value as a positive move with respect to the 2018 team.

If Matheny does leave after 2018 I would hope we would strongly consider Joe Girardi. But we are a long ways off before we even need to consider such a thing. Matheny is signed through 2020 and while I’m sure we could afford to buy him out I doubt that ownership wants to do that.

I highly doubt it is going to hinge on money. MLB managers make surprisingly little (compared to the players). In his first contract, Matheny made $750,000 per year. Even with an increase the second time, it isn’t going to be enough to be a primary reason to keep/fire him.

To put this in a player context, they ate $17 MM just to get rid of Mike Leake.

At the high end are guys like Bochy, Scioscia and Maddon at $5 MM per year. Girardi was paid $4 MM by New York last season.

Saying nothing would have fanned the flames of speculation so I dont see where that would have been a good option. Saying you are not really interested stops most of the speculation but it doesn’t close the door. I failed to hear Oquendo say he wouldn’t take the job if offered to him.

The fact that he was passed over once to me is almost meaningless to the discussion. It is just as possible that Mo/BDW regret that decision.

Re-reading the article, there is no way to tell if Oquendo brought up managing to make his point or responded when Hummel asked him the question. Having been in the media a while, I have encountered many coaches who are very good at deflecting questions without saying yes or no. All Oquendo would have had to say is that his only focus is on his current job. That is what they just hired him to do. Coaches say that kind of thing every day. Sometimes they mean it and sometimes they are already interviewing for the next job. It is expected part of coach-speak.

On the other hand, Oquendo was very clear that he does not want to manage. He did not hedge about that at all. No, he did not say he would not take the Cardinals job if offered. That would have been a really bad thing to say, since there is already someone in it.

I disagree that is just as possible they regret not hiring Oquendo to manage. The same people are in the same jobs. I think they still believe they got the right man in Matheny, whose strengths are very different from Oquendo’s. I believe they are still pulling for Matheny to succeed.

Given what has happened since with Molina and with Oquendo himself, I bet they are more relieved they did not hire Oquendo as manager – if he was ever a serious candidate in the first place, which I have always wondered about. Is your theory instead possible? Sure, anything is possible, but I think it is low odds.